Isabelle has spent more time in my living room than my parents for the last seven years. From the second she'd tripped Macy Moore during a test in fifth grade after she'd embarrassed me in front of our entire soon-to-be graduating class, we'd been inseparable. She loved the idea of being able to escape the constant hovering of her strict mother and I embraced the thought of having someone to keep me company around my empty house.

Our biggest escape from the world fell on the same day every year; the first day of school. The moment school let out; we'd go our separate ways. Isabelle would disappear home to pack for the night she'd be spending at my house, and I'd spend most of the late afternoon preparing. Preparation for our movie nights always consisted of three things: ice cream, blankets, and horror movies. Missing one of the necessities always proved for a fun night considering Isabelle had the tendency to be tedious and sentimental about certain things, our movie nights being one of them.

We hadn't talked much over the summer, but the tradition had survived our lack of communication. Isabelle had sent a text as soon as the last bell rang through the school, and I had a chance to break through the doors and out into the heat. It didn't ask if the night was still on, it demanded that it was.

As I spread one of Landon's old blues throws over the stained carpet, my thoughts drifted to that of the college application for Harvard I'd dropped off at the post office for Isabelle before she'd disappeared in early June. This was possibly the last movie night we'd have before she left for college, and I had no desire to be hosting it. All I wanted is to curl up on the roof outside my bedroom, close my eyes, and pray when I opened them that what happened was all no more than a nightmare I couldn't shake.

"Hey." The quiet, emotionless greeting shook me from my daze.

Colton stood in front of the door, his black backpack hanging off one shoulder as he nudged the door shut with the other. His rusty hair was a mess and looked as if he'd crawled out of bed hours ago without brushing it. It very well could have been a deliberate look, but I'd stopped caring about trends months ago.

He tossed the backpack on to the arm of the loveseat before shouting for Landon, eyes shooting toward the staircase in anticipation of my brother jogging down the steps to respond to him.

"He's out looking for another job." I whispered, straightening myself. "He also mentioned we could just eat without him. I'm guessing he's going to have a late one tonight."

Colton shifted awkwardly, scratching at the back of his head. "What are you doing?"

The awkward silence hung in the air between us as I tried to find the words to explain movie nights without boring him. My thoughts redirected themselves back to him instead. Despite knowing him since I was four-the two of them five-I had yet to really get to know Colton Hunter. All he had ever been growing up was my brother's best friend. He hadn't ever really taunted and teased me as Landon did, but almost brushed me off as if I didn't really interest him. I guess I felt the same way. He'd always just been there; wherever my brother was, he wasn't far behind.

"Avery?" Colton prompted.

"Belle and I are having one of our annual movie nights." I breathed out softly, then added quickly, "You can join us if you want."

He waved a hand carelessly in the air in front of him. "No, no. You girls have fun."

I grabbed a couple comforters from the closet with a curt nod, keeping a safe distance from Colton, afraid I may flinch with even the slightest touch of his hand. I made it back to the living room and set one of the blankets on the floor as he lingered in the foyer. After a moment of losing himself in his thoughts, he shrugged a shoulder and smiled weakly.

"I guess I'll join you guys if you don't mind." he said. "Do you need help setting up?"

I snuck a quick sideways glance in his direction, cautious of his every move the closer he got to me.

"Sure." I eventually forced out.

He took the other blanket from the recliner to his left and laid it out on the floor, folding one edge over before tucking a pillow securely beneath it. It was such a familiar mannerism from Colton that it almost felt as if nothing had changed. As if I could sit beside him on the couch and watch a movie with ease, our hands accidentally brushing against each other from time to time with no flashbacks or episodes. But the second he stepped within reach of me, I crossed the room and leaned back against the arm of the leather sofa, refusing to cast another look at my brother's best friend.

*

Isabelle showed at a quarter to eight with both arms full of grocery bags I had the suspicion were full of junk food. Opening the door, Colton was greeted by my energetic best friend with the contents in her arms being thrust into his. Her red hair, in a messy bun, looked nothing like it had at lunch this afternoon. He wiped at his mouth, kicking the door shut behind him. My best friend sat on the middle cushion of the couch, swinging her legs back and forth off the edge like an anxious child.

"I was talking to Craig at lunch, as you know, and he totally thought-" the moment she trailed off into a very in-depth explanation of the conversation, my mind started to drift elsewhere.

It wasn't something I was proud of or typical of me; I usually listened and gave her my full attention. But standing in front of her, the glimpse of excitement in her green eyes and her full, toothy grin weren't enough to keep my own thoughts from consuming me as they had for the last two months. Her voice soon became nothing but a dull buzzing sound in my ears as my mind tried to process her words and my own thoughts at once.

I tried to force my attention back to my friend, but was distracted again, this time by the nineteen-year-old boy leaning against the fridge in the kitchen. He was watching me with a look of both curiosity and sympathy in his eyes; as if he could see right through me.

I started to look away when I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. I jerked away roughly, my head whipping up. Isabelle pulled her hand back, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, Ave."

I returned the smile, sitting beside her and rubbing my sweaty palms against my sweatpants. She leaned over and tapped the side of my head with a laugh.

"There must be a lot going on in there. Enough about me, what's been going on with you? How was your summer?" she asked.

I looked away. "It was boring. There was literally nothing to do without you here."

"Oh, come on." she nudged me. "You had to have done something fun. You're the fun one in this friendship, Avery, not me."

"No, really, Belle." I whispered. "It was super boring."

Isabelle eyed me skeptically, clearly hearing the slight waver in my voice. To my relief she didn't mention it or push any harder on the topic.

"So I heard that Kevin Marshall had a kick ass end of year party I missed, please tell me you at least went to that." She said, a longing in her voice.

I tensed, trying to keep my throat from closing and hands from trembling at the mention of the name. After a moment, I attempted a weak laugh and shook my head.

"No, I didn't go. It wouldn't have been any fun without you there anyway." I lied.

Colton made a quiet clicking noise with his tongue and for a moment I was sure he was going to tell Isabelle I was lying through my teeth. I found my eyes wandering toward him too, much to my irritation, not at all shocked to find the lines of confusion creasing his forehead and his eyes narrowed. Catching my eye, he looked as if he wanted to ask why I was lying to Isabelle, but I turned away before he could, crossing my fingers that he wouldn't say a word about my lie aloud.

***AN****

*Unedited*

Hope you guys enjoyed! Sorry for the late chapter! The next will be longer of course! 

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